Sunspots, Moon Tricks, and Meteors at Dawn

This week there’s a sky full of surprises. From the lowest full moon in nearly two decades—the golden-hued Strawberry Moon—to the elusive Arietid meteor shower peaking in broad daylight, there’s a lot to see… or at least know is happening above.

We’ll also track the current planetary lineup, including Mercury’s brief appearance next to Jupiter and some early morning views of Venus and Saturn. Then, in the second half, we shift our focus to the Sun, which is ramping up toward solar maximum.

We’ll explore the Sun’s 11-year magnetic cycle, why we’ve been seeing auroras farther south than usual, and what all of this means for ham radio operators and other technology.

For more episodes and resources for backyard astronomers, visit